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Amidst slowing economic growth, global labour markets have shown resilience in 2023. Global unemployment has dropped to the lowest level since the outbreak of the [COVID-19] pandemic and labour force participation has recovered in most regions. Despite these positive headline indicators, fragility has emerged in working conditions, and a cost-of-living crisis has arisen from fast-rising energy and food prices. Employment growth in 2024 is projected to falter even though global unemployment will remain broadly unchanged. Major decent work deficits, which to a large degree predate the pandemic, are set to persist under these conditions - especially gender participation gaps, working poverty, and informality.

This [report] provides a comprehensive assessment of labour imbalances that arose with the recovery from the pandemic and exist alongside persistent decent work deficits. It analyses global patterns, regional differences, and outcomes across groups of workers. The report also offers labour market projections for 2024 and 2025. Finally, it presents trends in labour force participation, hours worked and employment growth and analyses their contributions to labour market imbalances.

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Health indicators in Ethiopia, particularly on child health and malaria, have improved significantly in recent years, with the next challenge now focused on improving maternal health indicators. This document reviews the current Human Resources for Health (HRH) situation in Ethiopia, summarises the evidence on population use of select health services, and offers relevant policy options to assist the government finalize its new human resources strategy and address remaining health challenges.

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Successfully motivating and retaining health workers is critical for the effective performance of health systems. In Mozambique, a shortage of health care professionals and low levels of staff motivation in rural and remote areas pose challenges to the provision of equitable health care delivery. This study provides quantitative information on the job preferences of non-physician health professionals in Mozambique, examining how different aspects of jobs are valued and how health professionals might respond to policy options that would post them to district hospitals in rural areas.

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It is difficult to fathom the words 'skilled labour shortage' in a country of over 160 million, but the challenge of shortage of trained skilled construction labour is glaring in the industry. The purpose of the study was to examine professionals' preference for migrant craftsmen in Lagos State. A survey research design through the administration of questionnaires was used for the study. A convenience sampling method was used for the study in a vibrant sample area Lekki, Lagos where there are high volumes of building construction activities. From the 45 construction sites visited in Lekki, Lagos only 30 construction sites were responsive to the study representing a 67 per cent response rate. The data were compiled and calculations performed using SPSS 21.0.

The result showed that migrant craftsmen from four major countries in West Africa namely Benin, Ghana, Niger and Togo, are preferred by construction professionals for crafts work on building construction sites. The factor influencing the choice of migrant craftsmen is due to the shortage of skilled local craftsmen in the construction industry. The major factors mitigating against the use of local craftsmen are that they cut corners in carrying out their craft, they rush their work and they are not keen on improving their training. The preference for migrant craftsmen would result in an adequate supply of craftsmen in the industry and consequently unemployment for local craftsmen. It was recommended that local content act should be enacted and enforced for construction companies in the Nigerian construction industry to ensure an adequate quota for local professionals and craftsmen on construction sites. Nigerian institutions aimed at providing trade skill improvement programs for local craftsmen should be revamped in order to obtain skills to evolve and survive in the competitive construction industry.

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Due to negative perceptions about South Africa, skilled workers are emigrating to countries such as Australia to the detriment of the South African economy. This loss is not necessarily being replaced by graduates or through immigration. Government policies such as Broader-Based Black Economic Empowerment (BBBEE), Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) and Affirmative Action (AA), compound the issue by then decreasing the pool of skilled applicants that may occupy skilled and senior posts in organisations. Globally there is a shortage of skills and due to employee mobility they can use any opportunity that presents itself. The objectives of this study were to determine the factors which lead to the emigration of skilled South Africans to Australia and then once these factors are known to propose retention strategies to role players to stem the emigration tide. To achieve these objectives a survey was prepared based on previous studies and a link to the web questionnaire was distributed to the population via an Australian immigration agent. The link was sent to all the agent’s clients around the world and thus consisted not only of South Africa respondents but also elicited international responses, which will be used for comparison purposes only. Only 48 South Africans responded to the survey and although limited, it was sufficient for the purposes of this study. The demographic profile was mainly male and dominated by Generation X. The study also looked at the permanence of the move. If skilled individuals returned with new-found skills and experience then it could be a potential brain gain for South Africa. The results of this study found that 43 per cent of respondents had no intention to return, 42 per cent did not supply a response and only 10 per cent were undecided on whether to return or not. To attract, retain and develop talent, the South African government and the private sector would need to work in partnership to develop policies that would satisfy the lower-order needs of individuals, such as physiological and safety needs.

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The [vocational education and training] VET efforts of large family business in Germany on the one hand, and the risk of the shortage of skilled workers for internationally active German businesses on the other, this paper looks at the involvement of German family businesses in vocational education and training in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE). More specifically, it explores the potential and opportunities of initial and continuing vocational education and training in Central and Eastern European countries of major significance to the German economy, sets out the obstacles that exist and examines where action is needed. The study focuses on industrial and technical occupations, since a significant portion of German family businesses in CEE are industrial companies with a particular need for personnel in this field. The economic importance of Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) to Germany and German businesses can be seen, for example, from figures on trade intensity or the ranking of trading partners in foreign trade. Germany's imports from Poland (ranked 4th), for instance, today exceed those from Italy (5th) or France (6th). Our analysis includes seven countries: Poland, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Slovakia and Serbia. Between them, these countries are home to no fewer than 4,442 branches of German businesses, employing over 1.4 million people. This indicates the considerable potential for German businesses in the region. The potential, opportunities, obstacles and the need for action that we have identified in this study result from the particular local contexts in Central and Eastern European countries, contexts that differ considerably from country to country. While a high degree of similarity between the countries might initially be assumed, a closer examination reveals major national differences in the existing environments for vocational education and training. It was therefore necessary to begin by looking at each country's education and training system.

Published abstract.

The volume from which this paper is taken is available in VOCEDplus at TD/TNC 153.651. Show less

The purpose of this technical report is to present the background, the theoretical debates, the methodologies and processes leading to the development of the 2018 list of Occupations in High Demand (OIHD) for South Africa. The Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) defines OIHD as those occupations that show relatively strong employment growth, or are experiencing shortages in the labour market. More specifically, occupations are said to be in high demand if they: (1) have shown relatively strong employment growth over the past five years; (2) are currently showing relatively strong employment growth (that is, relatively strong growth over the two years); (3) are expected to show relatively strong employment growth in the future; (4) have been identified as being in shortage in the labour market; or (5) are new and expected to emerge in the near future as a result of innovation, technological advancements and the development of new industries (for example, the establishment of new occupations in 'green' industries).

Using a novel methodology adopted after a detailed review of a number of international approaches employed to identify and measure skills and occupational needs, the design of the 2018 OIHD project methodology adopted a hybrid approach where both top-down (statistical) and bottom-up (qualitative) evidence were considered and integrated to identify occupations in high demand. This exercise yielded a list of 129 occupations at the 4-digit Unit Group with 369 6-digit occupations which are currently in high demand or are expected to be in demand in the future. The project team understood the main purpose of the list as to inform the planning processes of DHET with respect to the post school education and training systems, particularly in relation to enrolment planning, resource allocation, career advice and qualification development. The list is however important for a number of reasons and is also intended for use by other stakeholders to inform their decision making processes. In this case the list may require that users adapt or refine accordingly to their needs.

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The World Health Organization estimates that faith-based organizations (FBOs) provide 30-70 per cent of health care in the developing world (2007). However, there is very little recognition or documentation of the contributions that FBOs make in the pre-service and in-service training of health care professionals, especially in sub-Saharan Africa. Due to the brain drain of health workers from sub-Saharan Africa and the large disease burden, there is a dearth of trained personnel to provide care for those who need it. Globally there are 57 nations suffering a health worker brain drain - the majority of those nations are in sub-Saharan Africa (ibid.). Currently, the continent has only 30 per cent of the 1.16 million doctors, nurses and midwives it needs (Arniquis, 2009). Beginning in 2004, the Capacity Project worked to strengthen FBO networks' human resources. During the course of [their] work [they] discovered that many members of FBO networks provide a significant amount of pre-service and in-service health worker training, especially for nurses and midwives. This technical brief illustrates the breadth of pre-service and in-service trainings offered by FBOs, with a focus on nursing and midwifery pre-service training in Malawi, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia.

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South Africa is currently experiencing a shortage of an estimated 70,000 plus information and communication technology (ICT) professionals, which is compounded by the fact that the number of ICT graduates is now showing a decline. At an organisational level, the effective use of ICT for organisational information management is difficult without having appropriately ICT-skilled (e-skilled) employees. The shortage of e-skills in South Africa and much of Africa forces companies to work at retaining their existing e-skilled professionals, but this task is becoming increasingly difficult. Thus, this study established the objective to explore the factors that contribute to the retention of skilled ICT professionals in one international consulting organisation in South Africa, which also might bear relevance to other similar organisations operating in many other African countries.

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This [report] provides an initial assessment of Libya's labor market and discusses policy options for promoting employability as part of a broader jobs strategy. It is intended as a contribution to evidence on Libya's labor market for the benefit of policy makers, civil society and the broader international community. The report finds that the overall unemployment rate in Libya increased from 13.5 per cent in 2010 prior to the uprising to 19 per cent as of 2012, having changed little since then. Youth unemployment stands at approximately 48 per cent and female unemployment 25 per cent. The vast majority (85 per cent) of Libya's active labor force is employed in the public sector, a high rate even by regional standards. The rate for women is even higher (93 per cent).

Employment in industry (largely the oil sector) and agriculture accounts for only 10 per cent of the labor force. While nearly all public sector workers are covered by some form of social insurance, only 46 per cent of private sector workers are enrolled - a striking difference. The report further discusses the implications of Libyan jobseeker profiles. Thirty per cent of firms have reported difficulty in recruiting qualified Libyan nationals. Only 15-30 per cent of Libya's labor force is relatively skilled and likely could be hired readily if given access to basic job training and job search assistance. For the remainder of the unemployed work force, targeted interventions would need to be designed for advanced skills development, vocational training, reconversion, and apprenticeship and entrepreneurship programs. The report discusses options for shifting Libya from a rentier state to a diversified, productive economy through economic and technical partnerships to help accelerate creating economic opportunities and jobs.

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